Bayer Leverkusen’s 23-year-old Ivory Coast defender Odilon Kossounou remains an option for Liverpool, but the Reds face stiff competition from the Premier League and beyond.
According to CaughtOffside sources close to the situation, both Tottenham and Manchester United are also interested in bringing him to the English top-flight, with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich circling too.
Liverpool want Odilon Kossounou
Despite having only just won the Bundesliga title in a team that is still unbeaten and could also win the DFB-Pokal and the Europa League title, the defender has not responded to Leverkusen’s contract extension offer.
It would therefore appear to be the case that he is ready to leave the German champions if the right offer comes along in the summer transfer window.
CaughtOffside sources indicate that Leverkusen may accept an offer of about €60m for the Ivorian player, despite a clear preference to retain his services.
Perhaps the ease with which Xabi Alonso’s side have landed their first-ever German top-flight title is what’s given the player the thought of taking up another challenge elsewhere.
With Kossounou at the top of Manchester United and Tottenham’s transfer wish list and scouts from the Premier League clubs having watched a lot of the defender’s matches this season, Liverpool clearly need to move quickly.
Their own pursuit of Arne Slot as a replacement for Jurgen Klopp is clearly taking priority over any other business and, dependant on the length of the courting process from the Reds, may mean that on this occasion they lose out on a player that clearly isn’t short of options.